ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: roll · craft · chip · bat · cap · season · pound · swing

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. cap — a lid
  4. swing — to play on
  5. chip — for betting
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. cap — a hat
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. season — in sport
  10. swing — music
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — of the year
  13. craft — a skill
  14. roll — a list
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. swing — in golf
  18. craft — boats
  19. roll — a cake
  20. pound — a weight
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bat — the animal
  24. bat — for baseball

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com